Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, April 17, 2015 — 7
‘M’ looks to cement legacy
By CINDY YU
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 6 Michigan women’s
gymnastics team has one final
item to check off its bucket list:
to qualify for the NCAA Super
Six. To accomplish this feat, the
Wolverines must have a top-
three finish in the first semifinal
session on Friday to advance to
Saturday’s
coveted
team
competition.
Michigan
(9-0 Big Ten,
25-3 overall)
has already
set program
records
in
total meets
with scores of 197.000 and
higher, as well as consecutive
competitions
that
meet
the
aforementioned
scoring
threshold. It is on pace to set
records for the highest single-
season
scoring
average
in
the team and balance beam
categories with scores of 197.154
and 49.283, respectively.
Additionally, the Wolverines
have counted zero falls in
competition.
They
are
also
the only team in the nation
to score at least a 49.000 in
every
rotation
this
season.
Michigan clinched the Big Ten
Championships with a score of
197.825, the second-highest in
program history.
While
these
accomplishments
are
impressive,
Michigan
must
maintain its consistency and
confidence as it heads to the
NCAA Championships Friday
through Sunday inside the
Forth
Worth
Convention
Center in Texas. Scores will not
carry over, and the Wolverines
will have a clean slate.
“Now is the time to enjoy
and reap the benefits of all the
hard work that we’ve put into
everything we’ve done this
year,” said Michigan coach Bev
Plocki. “Our most successful
times are when we’re the most
relaxed and really just having
fun performing.”
In the first semifinal session,
Michigan will face No. 2 Florida,
No. 3 Utah, No. 7 UCLA, No. 10
Georgia and No. 11 Stanford.
The
showdown
will
be
a rematch of sorts, as the
Wolverines have faced half of the
competition before. The Bruins
outscored
the
Wolverines,
197.500-197.000, at the NCAA
Regionals,
while
the
Utes
bested them before the sport’s
largest crowd ever in a dual
meet, 198.250-197.675. Michigan
defeated Georgia earlier this
season, 196.600-195.600.
“I think it’ll be really fun
to rematch against the teams
we’ve
competed
against,
especially the ones we lost to,”
said senior Brooke Parker. “It
gives us more drive to go out
there and beat them.”
Scheduling meets against top
teams from other conferences
such as the SEC and the Pac-
12 is part of Plocki’s strategy.
By putting her team in high-
pressure situations throughout
the season, it not only challenges
the gymnasts but also prepares
them for high-caliber meets
such as nationals.
At the same time, the team
is trying to not let the level
of
competition
become
a
distraction.
“There’s not an offense and
a defense, so we’re not focused
on the teams that are in our
session,” Plocki said. “We’re
focused on us.”
One key characteristic that
has helped this squad succeed all
season long is its determination.
After graduating six seniors
and replacing nearly half of its
routines in the lineup, 2015 was
expected to be a rebuilding year
for Michigan.
Though the Wolverines may
lack depth, they make up for it
with a strong core group of eight
gymnasts that have consistently
competed
throughout
the
season.
“They have a very high level
of faith and trust in each other,”
Plocki said. “I think one of
the keys to our ability to be as
consistent overall has been that
when there’s been a mistake,
nobody’s panicked.”
In previous years, that had
not always been the case. At
last year’s NCAA Semifinals,
the Wolverines were unable
to recover from a fall that
resulted in their worst beam
performance of the season.
Several
gymnasts
have
stepped up to contribute to this
effort.
Parker,
junior
Briley
Casanova and junior Lindsay
Williams combined for a total
of 87 routines this season. Last
season, that total was just 25
routines.
Senior
Sachi
Sugiyama,
currently ranked eighth in the
all-around and recently named
a regular-season All-American,
was selected as one of the six
national finalists for the 2015
AAI Award, which is given to
the nation’s top senior collegiate
gymnast.
Sophomore Nicole Artz and
freshman Brianna Brown have
also received regular-season
All-American
honors.
Artz
is on pace to surpass former
Olympian Elise Ray for the
program
record
of
highest
single-season scoring average
in both the all-around and the
balance beam. Brown is the
Big Ten Co-Freshman of the
Year and has contributed on all
four events in every meet this
season.
The team has the opportunity
to make history by becoming
the first in Michigan history to
win a national team title.
At the conclusion of the
last practice in the Donald R.
Shepherd training center, the
gymnasts chanted, “Go blue,
beat everybody.”
“I know everyone wants to do
that, but I really think we can
do it this year,” Casanova said.
“This is the greatest group of
talent that we’ve had in a while,
so I’m really excited to be a part
of it.”
To
accomplish
this
feat,
the Wolverines will have to
first qualify for the Super Six
competition. While none of
them have competed in one
before, this team has proven
week after week that it belongs.
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
NCAA
Championships
When: Friday-
Sunday
Where: Fort
Worth, Texas
Wolverines prepare for
Purdue, hope to end rut
By ISAIAH ZEAVIN-MOSS
Daily Sports Writer
After winning nine of 12
games, including a pair of series
wins
against
Maryland
and
Indiana, the Michigan baseball
team has suddenly found itself in
a rut.
In
the
Wolverines’
two
most
recent
midweek
contests,
their
once-
consistent
offensive
production
stagnated,
compiling
just four total
runs in losses
to Michigan State and Eastern
Michigan — two bitter in-state
rivals who, on paper, appear
inferior to Michigan.
It’s
evident
that
the
Wolverines’ problems lie with
batting, and the bounceback
toward a winning path starts
there.
“We’ve definitely pitched well
enough to win,” said Michigan
coach Erik Bakich. “We’ve got to
get back to having more of a line
drive approach and generating
two-out, clutch hits. We haven’t
taken
advantage
of
scoring
opportunities.”
According
to
Bakich,
the
recent
offensive
slump
can
be attributed to other teams
changing their approach from
the mound.
“(Opposing
teams)
aren’t
giving us as many fastballs,”
Bakich said. “But that’s fine,
because
we’ve
got
great
hitters. And good hitters make
adjustments at-bat to at-bat,
great hitters make adjustments
pitch to pitch, and we’ve got to
do a better job with making those
adjustments.”
But
this
weekend,
the
Wolverines (6-6 Big Ten, 21-16
overall) get a chance to once
again find their winning ways
with a series against Purdue
(1-8, 12-24).
The Boilermakers have won
just three of their last 16 games.
In the losses, Purdue was
defeated by more than four runs
per game and scored more than
three runs only once.
Leading the way for Purdue
is shortstop Kyle Wood, who is
third in the Big Ten with a .366
batting average and is tied for
third in the conference with five
home runs.
Outside
of
Wood,
the
Boilermakers don’t present much
of a threat. They rank second-to-
last in team batting average and
sit within the bottom three of all
major pitching categories. As for
every Purdue pitcher who has
made a start this season, only one
has an earned-run average below
3.00.
But Bakich is not going into
this weekend’s series especially
confident
about
pulling
out
a
victory,
the
Boilermakers
unsuccessful
campaign
notwithstanding.
“It has nothing to do with the
opponent. You put the focus on
yourself and playing the game
to the best of your ability,”
Bakich said. “Purdue may not
statistically stand out, but we’re
certainly not going to overlook
the importance of Friday night.”
On the mound for Michigan
will be the regular weekend
rotation:
junior
right-hander
Jacob Cronenworth, freshman
right-hander Ryan Nutof and
sophomore
left-hander
Brett
Adcock.
This weekend’s series marks
the beginning of the second half
of Big Ten play for Michigan.
Currently, the Wolverines are
sixth in the conference, leaving
plenty of work to be done for a
team that still has conference
championship aspirations.
Bakich is confident in his
team’s ability to bounce back
from what has thus far been a
disappointing and frustrating
week and to move forward with
confidence and success.
“We had a setback Tuesday
and
Wednesday,
there’s
no
question about that,” Bakich
said. “But we had one of the best
training sessions of the year (on
Thursday night), and I feel really
good. They’re going to be very
motivated internally to come
back this weekend to play their
best baseball.”
With the final stretch of the
season around the corner, it’s
even more vital for Michigan
that
Bakich’s
encouraging
prediction is correct.
Purdue at
Michigan
Matchup:
Purdue 12-24;
Michigan 21-16
When: Friday-
Sunday
Where: Ray
Fisher Stadium
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Jacob Cronenworth will take the mound for Michigan this weekend.
Robinson finally ready to play
By DANIEL FELDMAN
Daily Sports Editor
Duncan Robinson knew the
transition would be difficult.
After
transferring
from
Williams College to Michigan
in late August, the sophomore
guard had to mentally and
physically prepare for life at the
Division I level.
He helped lead Williams
to the NCAA Division III
championship
game
his
freshman year — averaging
17.1 points and 6.5 rebounds
per game — but NCAA transfer
rules
forced
the
6-foot-8
swingman to sit out a season for
the Wolverines.
“Sitting out is an adjustment,”
Robinson said. “I knew coming
into the year, obviously, I
wasn’t going to be able to play,
so I had to mentally prepare
myself for that. … It has been
an adjustment, but this year has
been really helpful for me.”
Robinson wasn’t the only
player on Michigan’s roster to
sit out a season due to a non-
injury related reason. Redshirt
freshman forward Mark Donnal
sat out the 2013-14 season to
help improve his strength and
conditioning.
“He said, ‘It has its benefits,
buts it’s also really hard,’ ”
Robinson said. “He kind of
paved the way for that.”
Freshman
forward
D.J.
Wilson sat out almost all of
the 2014-15 season as well.
Robinson said it was good to
have another player who should
see significant playing time next
year sitting alongside him.
In order to best prepare
himself
for
next
season,
Robinson
spent
this
year
working
with
Michigan
strength
and
conditioning
coach John Sanderson. The
pair will hope to accomplish
many
of
Robinson’s
goals
when they work together at
Camp Sanderson — the coach’s
legendary, annual conditioning
camp — during the spring and
summer in Ann Arbor.
Robinson said Sanderson set
many goals for him, which he
will continue to work toward
before the fall.
On top of purely gaining
strength, Robinson served as
a vital cog on the scout team
this year. With the ability to
play the ‘2,’ ‘3’ and ‘4’ positions,
Robinson was able to model
multiple opposing players.
Though he primarily played
the ‘3’ at Williams, Robinson
will likely get the opportunity
to play at the two other spots
on the floor for the Wolverines
next year.
“It kind of depends on this
summer (and) how much gains
I can make strength-wise,”
Robinson said. “I’ll know a lot
more in the fall.”
An additional factor that will
play into Robinson’s positioning
next year is whether junior
guard Caris LeVert returns for
his senior year.
Like Robinson, LeVert has
the versatility to play three
different positions — the ‘1,’ ‘2’
and ‘3’ — but with his status still
up in the air, all Michigan coach
John Beilein can do is speculate
about next season.
“Obviously, if he’s with us,
that’s a really solid piece,”
Beilein said. “(It raises the
question of) where do we play
him because he can play three
different positions. So, those
are all factors. There are so
many factors. I know it’s late
and everyone wants to have
answers.
“Nobody wants it more than
me. You’ve just got to embrace
the process and do the best we
can.”
Until LeVert’s situation is
resolved, Robinson will just
have to continue doing what
he was doing throughout the
last year: learn the offense, get
stronger and continue to break
shooting records in practice,
though he has already broken
Nik Stauskas’ 3-point shooting
record.
While Robinson has been
involved in team camaraderie
throughout the year, he’ll have
an even bigger opportunity
to bond with his teammates
and
hone
his
skills
this
summer. The entire freshman
class of Ricky Doyle, Aubrey
Dawkins, Kameron Chatman,
Muhammad-Ali
Abdur-
Rahkman, Wilson and Donnal
will join him this summer at
Camp Sanderson.
Robinson likes how many
players will be taking part in
an optional offseason program.
With nearly everyone returning
to next year’s squad, Robinson
can’t wait for the new season to
begin.
“That
right
there
shows
how invested everyone is in
the program,” he said. “I think
Coach Beilein is excited, and I
know we’re all really excited.”
TERESA MATHEW/Daily
Duncan Robinson will look to make an impact for the Wolverines next season after spending last year on the bench.
Michigan to host
underdog Purdue
By KEVIN SANTO
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan softball team
isn’t invincible. It has lost six
games this season, including two
at home to unranked Kent State
and Iowa.
Though fans
are
already
chalking
up
three wins in
this weekend’s
series
against
Indiana,
the
Wolverines
(11-2 Big Ten,
38-6
Overall)
won’t be taking
the competition
lightly.
Michigan is coming off a domi-
nant 10-0 win against Michigan
State, and sophomore left fielder
Kelly Christner hopes the Wol-
verines carry a relaxed mentality
into the weekend’s matchup.
“Honestly, (we want to keep)
having fun,” Christner said. “Our
captains pulled us aside before the
game and they were like, ‘I know
lately we just haven’t been having
as much fun.’ ”
The Hoosiers (5-7, 14-28) could
quickly kill the buzz, as they pos-
sess some threats at the plate that
could deliver and put Michigan on
upset alert.
Outfielders Shannon Cawley
and Rebecca Blitz both boast
.338 batting averages in 41 and
42 games, respectively. Cawley
is second on the team in home
runs with nine, behind catcher
Kelsey Dotson, who has tallied
10 homers of her own. She has
accounted for 35 runs batted in
while accumulating a .330 bat-
ting average.
But Indiana’s dominant slug-
gers will be faced with two for-
midable opponents in the circle:
sophomore right-hander Megan
Betsa and senior left-hander Hay-
lie Wagner.
Betsa is fresh off a five-inning
no-hitter against Michigan State
in which she struck out six bat-
ters. In the ace’s last three outings,
she has not allowed a run and has
racked up 29 strikeouts through
19 innings.
The right-hander acknowl-
edged that the midweek Big Ten
matchup served as good prepara-
tion for the upcoming series.
“(The midweek game) gets
us loosened up for this coming
weekend,” Betsa said Wednesday
after the win. “It’s nice to get out
of the same old practice routine
to come up here and play a good
team.”
As for the Hoosiers, they’re
likely to lean on right-hander Lora
Olson in the circle. Olson has been
laboring for Indiana, pitching in
30 games while recording a 6.11
earned-run average, and she will
need to improve on her perfor-
mance so far to be a difference
maker against Michigan.
Olson will likely have to face a
Wolverine starting lineup that has
just three batters hitting below
.300. And though junior second
baseman Sierra Romero is the her-
alded threat in the batting order,
boasting a .490 batting average,
Christner’s performances as of
late have thrust her into the role
as Michigan’s Goliath.
In the past 12 games, Christner
has hit 10 home runs.
As the Wolverines prepare to
host Indiana at Alumni Field this
weekend, Michigan coach Carol
Hutchins is sticking to the usual
game plan. To her, it doesn’t mat-
ter who’s wearing the other uni-
form.
“I can tell you this about
(the Hoosiers),” Hutchins said.
“They’re in our way.”
SOFTBALL
Indiana at
Michigan
Matchup:
Indiana 14-28;
Michigan 38-6
When: Friday-
Sunday
Where:
Alumni Field